


Salt

by Comedia



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-12
Updated: 2012-09-12
Packaged: 2017-11-14 01:49:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/510025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comedia/pseuds/Comedia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Happily ever after stuff. Shepard has always been a fan of salt, and the way the Mediterranean water sticks to Kaidan’s skin is like a dream come true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salt

He’s never been to the Mediterranean before. Long beaches and turquoise water just didn’t make sense to him. Besides, his past experiences with tropical places, admittedly all of them on alien planets but tropical nonetheless, have been far from great.

Kaidan, on the other hand, has been here several times. He knows things Shepard doesn’t know and understand all those things that doesn’t make sense. For one thing, he understands the whole sun-block-lotion thing. When going here John had just assumed that they’d get some kind of upgrade that easily could take care of the sun-protection for them, but Kaidan had been persistent that they’d use lotion.

He really didn’t get it until earlier today when Kaidan asked him to help put it on. Kneading every muscle thoroughly, more a massage than anything else; he can still feel Kaidan’s warm skin beneath his fingertips.

He might ask Kaidan to help him put on lotion once he’s back on the beach. Might. If he does put on sun-protection he won’t have an excuse to stubbornly stay in the shaded safe-zone beneath the parasol. 

This is all uncharted territory. He can swim, kind of, it’s been a long time since he last tried. It’s not Turian bad, but there still might be flailing involved. The way Kaidan gracefully moves between the waves isn’t helping either. John might not be the best judge, but to him it seems Kaidan could’ve done this swimming thing professionally. Swimming or like, water striptease. Is there even such a thing? He’ll have to ask Aria about that sometime.

Kaidan is finally returning, and John decides there should be some kind of rule about him not being allowed to be wet in public. Admittedly they’re alone on the small beach, but it’s still public enough to prevent Shepard from jumping him right there and then at the water’s edge. Instead he raises his hand, waving awkwardly. Is this how old men feel? As if their hearts could stop beating at any second? If that’s the case then Kaidan turned him into an old man a long time ago.

Small drops of water, like tiny crystals on his skin, stopped by the scorching sun and turned into light flecks of salt and oh god the swim trunks are tight; the white fabric almost see-through and heavy from the water.

As Kaidan reaches their parasol he lies down in the shade, sighing contently. For a long time there’s only silence and Shepard staring at Kaidan’s back; the still wet swim trunks and the slightly tanned skin with a rough surface of salt.

He never really understood any of this. The sunbathing, the saltwater, all the colorful parasols… but maybe, just maybe he’s beginning to.

Leaning in close he stares at Kaidan’s neck. The hair, usually so neatly styled, is a complete mess, curls going in every direction.

“Know what? I’ve always liked the taste of salt.”

He says it matter-of-factly, studying the few drops of water left on Kaidan’s skin.

“Yeah?” The murmur he gets in response is drawn out and slow - almost sleepy.

“Yeah.” 

He places a kiss just at the hairline, tasting salt and something very familiar, the taste of whiskey, wet paper and a rainy Vancouver afternoon; something which is entirely Kaidan. The taste of integrity. He chuckles lightly, this time not only pressing his lips but also the tip of his tongue against the exposed skin at the back of Kaidan’s neck. The sharp inhale from the man beneath him indicates he’s doing something right, so despite the heat he rolls over.

Kaidan’s body is still damp from the swim, the swim trunks cold and wet as he pushes up against John. For a moment they simply remain like that, enjoying the closeness and the feeling of skin brushing against skin. 

He starts trailing a series of kisses, starting at the neck with the feeling of curly hair tickling his lips, and then continuing down the outline of Kaidan’s spine, the tip of his tongue tasting the salty skin. It’s been years since the war, but for some reason he remembers Kaidan’s heavy armor. The way even the most slim version ended up looking bulky, and how that impression instantly changed when he would use biotics. The blue glow would surround him like a second skin, highlighting his features in the most flattering way. The thin barrier of salt separating them now reminds John of this, and as he reaches Kaidan’s lower back, licking along the waistline of the swim trunks and feeling his husband shiver beneath him, he can’t help but wonder what Kaidan used to taste like. Straight out of battle, his skin glowing not unlike the way it does now; would it had tasted anything like this?

“Turn around.” It’s no more than a whisper, and with the wind picking up he’s unsure if Kaidan heard him or not. But then he’s shifting on the towel beneath John. 

Neither of them have the toned body they used to, but Kaidan’s belly is still quite flat and the muscles are still visible. He places a hand, fingers spread wide against the now blushed skin, moving up and not stopping until he can feel Kaidan’s beating heart. Resting his chin on the abs, feeling the wet swim trunks pressed against his chest, he searches Kaidan’s face; he’s leaning back, but using his elbows as support to get a better view of John, and the almost-but-not-quite smile is there as always, making his lips quirk just so, and the eyes are warm; the gaze heavy. Shepard smiles at his husband for a second, only to dip his head down again, licking lightly down his stomach.

When reaching the waistline this time he doesn’t hesitate, and with a little help from Kaidan he pulls the swim trunks off. The skin beneath is still deliciously wet, small droplets of water glittering like stars in the dark pubic hair. Hands stroking Kaidan’s thighs, gently making him spread just a little wider, John continues the trail of kisses.

When reaching Kaidan’s cock he stops to glance upward, now seeing how the brown eyes are closed and the mouth is slightly open. Eyes steadily on his husband’s face he places a hand loosely around the shaft and a chaste kiss on the head, smiling as Kaidan’s breath hitches. It’s been years, and the fact that he can still make Kaidan feel this way, the knowledge that they’ll probably have forever, has a heat rush through his body; a heat that makes the scorching beach seem like Noveria in comparison.

Sometimes he misses the short hair. Even though he might’ve kept it even shorter than regulation it was a nice practice. It always helped him focus in the morning, and it was so easy to maintain. But now, as he can feel Kaidan’s hands running through his hair, fingers curling; partly stroking and partly guiding him, he can’t imagine ever having a buzz-cut again.

He’s not even sure what’s pre-come and what’s simply Mediterranean water, but it really doesn’t matter. He takes Kaidan’s head entirely in his mouth, his hand, still loosely around the shaft, slowly starting to move.

The waves come crashing down somewhere behind him in neverending rythm. The sun burns hot, and the summerwinds caresses his skin. He thinks of the first time seeing Rannoch; the blue waters and stunning rock formations, something so beautiful you can’t help but to pay attention, no matter the circumstances. As Kaidan’s fingers dig down, holding him tighter, and he murmurs something that is impossible to make out, John thinks of home. Home and salt and unbearable heat. He doesn’t spit.

Kaidan lets go, his fingers remaining entangled in John’s hair for a moment before making their way to his shoulders. Letting himself be pulled up again they lie chest to chest, looking into each-others eyes - and while Kaidan’s eyes look honey-sweet and not salty at all John kind of wishes he could live in those irises, because nothing has ever seemed more like home to him.

The kiss is slow and tender, the saltyness of the sea and the one of Kaidan mixing. As they break apart he can feel Kaidan’s hand at the small of his back.

“I refuse to believe your swimming is worse than your dancing”, Kaidan says, his hand kneading the muscles of Shepard’s back.

“It is. And I’ll probably end up drowning with these weighing me down”, he answers, gesturing at his red swim trunks.

Kaidan quirks an eyebrow, almost in disbelief. “Take them off then, and join me. The water will do you good.”

And as he leaves his last piece of clothing on the shore, Kaidan holding his hand and leading him into the turquoise waters, he can’t help but to feel overwhelmed by wonder. That time in London he never thought he’d get the chance to have something like this. It seemed to him that an embarassingly bad wedding dance and flailing helplessly in the sea at Kaidan’s side was something he could only have in another life… yet here they are. Cool water distorting rather than hiding their scars, and the sun burning mercilessly. Tomorrow he’ll have the worst sunburn in the history of man, and he’ll blame Kaidan for it. But just like everything else they’ve been through, it’ll be alright in the end.


End file.
